Has anyone tried the Wyeast 2487-PC seasonal release? This is a different strain than their standard Hella-Bock (which is the Ayinger strain, same as WLP833), according to information in another thread. The description of Wyeast 2487-PC is that it's malt-forward and good for Marzens, so I am wondering if anyone has any experience with this?

I am looking to reproduce the Augustinerbrau Marzen from Salzburg. I brought a bottle of the Augustiner Marzen back with me in September, and cultured the yeast that was left in the bottle. I've built a 300mL starter this week from that culture, which obviously is not enough to inoculate a batch of lager (Mr Malty says I need 380 billion cells for a 5-gal batch, or 2L starter). I can attempt to step it up tonight to pitch tomorrow afternoon, but without a stir plate, this could be tough to get done in time!

So I thought I'd just supplement my 300mL with an entire Activator XL pack of the Wyeast 2487, which will get me close to the recommended pitching rate. Obviously, that means that I'm going to have at best a hybrid yeast, rather than a pure culture of the Augustiner yeast, but since the description of the Wyeast sounds like what I am aiming for in characteristics for my finished beer, I'm hoping for good results. Any ideas?

Am I the only person trying this yeast this year? I've seen nothing about it, and I had a MARVELOUSLY FAST fermentation with it (4 days from 1.061 to 1.014, now down to 1.010), and no diacetyl at all. It's in secondary for another week, then into the keg to lager.

This is a different strain than their standard Hella-Bock (which is the Ayinger strain, same as WLP833), according to information in another thread.

As moto said there is just the one 2487. The PC-2487 Hella-Bock is not the Ayinger strain. I e-mailed the owner of the KotMF and mentioned this and was told that they were aware of this and a few other corrections that needed to be made but hadn't got around to it yet.

EDIT: I did not get any of the 2487 but instead decided to try the PC-2782 Staropramen yeast but it's still in the smack pack and I won't get to it until January.

__________________Early brewers were primarily women, mostly because it was deemed a woman's job. Mesopotamian men, of some 3,800 years ago, were obviously complete assclowns and had yet to realize the pleasure of brewing beer.- Beer Advocate

Yeah, I saw your thread when I was originally searching for any information on the Wyeast PC release.

The Wyeast 2487 is actually from Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg in Austria, where they make Samichlaus Bier (among other brews). Of course, Samichlaus used to be made in Switzerland at Hurlimann until they closed, and now Eggenberg has picked it up, but there's no information on whether this particular yeast strain is the same as the vintage Hurlimann. I have some bottles of Samichlaus dating back to 2004, but at 14%ABV, it is quite impractical to harvest any yeast from the bottle that isn't pretty tired.

I'm just amazed at the lack of folks trying this particular Wyeast PC release.

Yeah, I saw your thread when I was originally searching for any information on the Wyeast PC release. I kinda laughed when I saw that you'd not heard of Samichlaus. It's only one of the most famous strong beers in the world!

I'm totally in the dark on commercial beers, domestic or not. Basically, I brew what I drink and drink what I brew. I almost never buy beer and haven't even heard of most.

__________________Early brewers were primarily women, mostly because it was deemed a woman's job. Mesopotamian men, of some 3,800 years ago, were obviously complete assclowns and had yet to realize the pleasure of brewing beer.- Beer Advocate

(I realized after I originally responded that my last comment might look mean, so I went back and edited it out!)

I only discovered Samichlaus on accident while cruising the beer aisle at my local very-well-stocked grocery store. Since then, I've made a point of picking up a bottle or two of Samichlaus each year, so that I can cellar one and try the other. I've even seen it on tap at one of the local pubs, where they serve it in 8-oz pours for obvious reasons (at 14%ABV, you're not going to want much more than one!).

__________________Early brewers were primarily women, mostly because it was deemed a woman's job. Mesopotamian men, of some 3,800 years ago, were obviously complete assclowns and had yet to realize the pleasure of brewing beer.- Beer Advocate

So, khiddy, how did your Marzen ultimately turn out using the WY2487? I've got a Munich Dunkel and a Smoked Traditional Bock planned to brew in the next couple of weeks and had thought about using this yeast. I normally would choose WY2206 as I love the reults I get from it. But the WY2487 sounds like it might be worth a try!

Quote:

Originally Posted by khiddy

... Samichlaus... I've made a point of picking up a bottle or two of Samichlaus each year, so that I can cellar one and try the other.

I do this each year, too. I grab a 4-pk each year. I'll take one out and leave the rest in the fridge. Then I'll grab one of each previous year I've collected and have a vertical tasting with friends or relatives. It has suttle changes from year to year. Michael Jackson (the late beer writer, not the late singing pedophile) first brought it to my attention when I read an article he penned about it years ago. So far this year, I have only found the Helles (red label) at my local liquor store, not the traditional Samichlaus doppelbock (dark brown label).